This invention provides an on-board re-inflatable containment boom for a waterborne vessel that can be repeatedly deployed and recovered for the purposes of training and testing, and that can be deployed immediately upon occurrence of an oil spill from a waterborne vessel, and a control system for proper inflation and deflation during deployment and recovery.
For many years conventional floating oil booms or barriers have been used in an attempt to contain floating material, such as hydrocarbons, on the surface, or just below the surface, of a body of water. Conventional floating booms are either housed on a shore based response vessel or on land usually miles or hours away from the spill site in a deflated state. When needed these booms are deployed by attaching the leading end of the boom to a deployment vessel which tows the boom into place and inflates the boom from the leading end. These booms are normally comprised of an elongated tubular body, sometimes sectioned into self-contained inflatable gas bladders, that is produced by the inflation of a sealed tube, or each inflatable gas bladder, to which an oil confining skirt or flap suitable for containing floatable material is attached. See for example U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,682,151 and 3,494,132 which disclose a series of plastic tubes which are interconnected by sleeves with the plastic tubes then being inflated to achieve the inflated state. Also, see for example U.S. Pat. No. 4,325,653 that discloses dual inflatable tubes with a skirt in between with said inflatable tubes being inflated with external inflatable gas hoses.
Also, see U.S. Pat. No. 4,123,911 which discloses a gas-inflatable boom wherein a single inflatable boom is inflated from an inflatable gas supply on the deploying vessel. All the patents cited above contemplate inflation from the leading edge of the boom one section at a time and do not disclose any method of the continuous inflation of the boom from a single inflatable gas source originating at the lagging last-off section of boom that runs concurrently with the boom, nor do they disclose inflation from an inflatable gas source already connected to the boom prior to deployment.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,792,589 discloses a collapsible boom containing an individual inflation chamber, however each inflation chamber must be connected to an inflatable gas supply and inflated separately as the boom is deployed. This greatly increases the time and complexity of inflation and deployment. U.S. Pat. No. 3,792,589 makes no mention of an equalized, pressurized inflatable gas supply running concurrently with the boom to allow for rapid inflation.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,022,785 discloses a method wherein a reactant body is contained within the boom itself such that by mechanical action the reactants can be activated to release an inflating gas by chemical reaction. After inflation by chemical reaction of the reactant the boom is inflated with pressurized inflatable gas from the first off, or leading, end to ensure proper inflation. Thus the boom may only be used a single time and then must be replaced.
Both U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,022,785 and 5,346,329 disclose individualized compartments or compartments separated by valves for the purpose of preventing deflation of an entire section of boom. Neither of these patents discloses an inflatable gas being supplied to the individual compartment from an external, individualized source.
Thus the above patents and current practices employed to respond to discharges of floatable material on water surfaces, such as hydrocarbons, fail to disclose a rapidly deployable system incorporating a retaining boom that can be deployed from a single point without need for multiple power sources, which can withstand ruptures and leaks. The patents recited above also are restricted in the functional length of a single floating barrier, or boom, because they lack an inflatable gas delivery line that runs concurrently with the entire length of boom. Further, current methods and practices require that vessels for the deployment and inflation of the boom, containment machinery, and booms be transported, often from considerable distances, to the site of a discharge on the water. This delay results in increased, un-contained discharges of toxins onto the water. Consequently, it is an object of this present invention to provide for an on-site or on-board system that incorporates a power system and inflatable gas supply to the winch-reel assembly and boom that will allow rapid boom deployment, control of the winch-reel assembly and control, the rate of deployment of the boom from a reel or other storage area.
Another object of this invention is to provide for a power system for rewinding of deployed boom onto a reel or other storage area without interruption to already inflated areas of the boom.
Another object of this invention is to provide a floating barrier deployment system that can be deployed and inflated from a single point inflatable gas supply originating from the lagging, or last-off, end of the boom.
Still another object of this invention is to supply inflatable gas to the boom, or inflatable gas bladders or inflatable gas compartments within the boom, from an individualized inflation point directly associated with the specific boom for inflatable gas bladders or inflatable gas compartments within the boom, said inflatable gas supply originating from the inflatable gas delivery hose in the proximity of the lagging, or last-off, end of the boom and having an equalized internal pressure not exceeding the pressure containing capabilities of the boom, or inflatable gas bladders or inflatable gas compartments within the boom.
Still another object of this invention is to supply an inflatable gas to the boom, or inflatable gas bladders or inflatable gas compartments within the boom, from an individualized inflation point directly associated with the specific boom, or inflatable gas bladders or inflatable gas compartments within the boom, such that the inflatable gas is supplied through a hose running externally and concurrently with the boom. This design allows for the boom to be continuously inflated from an inflatable gas supply originating from the inflatable gas delivery hose in the proximity of the non-leading, or last-off, end of the boom.
Yet another object of this invention is to provide inflating medium, such as air, to inflate the floating barrier from a single point supply that can inflate the entire floating barrier and continuously maintain inflation of the floating barrier once deployed and inflated.
Yet another object of this invention is to provide for a containment system that can be rapidly transported via helicopter to a discharge site for rapid deployment.
Still another object of this invention is to provide a floating barrier deployment system and floating barrier that is not limited in the length of the floating barrier that can be deployed, inflated and maintained in an inflated state.
Furthermore, it is an object of this invention to provide a control mechanism for deployment, inflation and maintenance of a floating barrier that allows the operator to control, from a single point, the rate of deployment and inflation of a floating barrier.
Yet another object of this invention is to allow for a floating barrier deployment system and floating barrier to be housed on marine vessels or at stationary points, including without limitation docks, ports, shores, islands, seawalls, dikes, skimming vessels, barges, ocean going vessels, rescue vessels, drilling rigs, boats, pontoons, and platforms, or in close proximity of the oil being transported, shipping lanes, or stored in the event of a spill.
Yet another object of this invention is to allow for the deployment, inflation, maintenance and directional control of the deployed and inflated boom without the use of a secondary deployment vehicle.
Still another object of this invention is to allow for the directional control of the deployed, inflated boom without the benefit of a secondary deployment vessel.
Additionally, it is an object of this invention to deploy the containment system without requiring the use of electrical supply or electrical controls.